The Final Encounter
by CalamityXCross
Summary: This story continues the unfinished battle between Cloud and Sephiroth in Radiant Garden...
1. An Eerie Memory

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children, Kingdom Hearts 2, or any of their characters…SquareEnix does.

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The story begins after Cloud and Sephiroth disappeared from Radiant Garden in the middle of their fight. Sora, Donald and Goofy looked around in awe.

"Where did they go?" Goofy asked. "Do you think Cloud went back to his own world?" Sora and Donald shrugged.

A figure walked toward them and said, "Gone again." It was Tifa.

"What are you going to do now?" asked Sora.

"…I guess I'll keep looking." answered Tifa. "Light is easy to find."

…………

"Cloud…Save me…" A female voice desperately asked for help.

"Hey Cloud…We're friends, right?" A deeper voice asked Cloud with sincere.

"Cloud…you'll never let go of your past…" A mysterious voice said coolly.

"You'll never let go of your darkness…" The same voice whispered.

"SHUT UP!"

…………

That last voice woke Cloud up. He was sweating and panting, clasping one hand onto his forehead. He had been dreaming flashbacks every once in a while, but after the battle with Sephiroth, the flashbacks became nightmares. Those flashbacks haunted Cloud and made him feel uneasy every night. "……Why can't I let go of my past…?" Cloud questioned himself. He wiped his forehead, took his weapon, and jumped down the tree.

Cloud revealed his motorcycle, Fenrir, from a nearby bush. He dragged Fenrir out and started the engine. As he climbed onto his motorcycle, his whole life began to flash before his eyes. The day when he became a SOLDIER, the day when he adopted the Buster Blade from his fallen friend, the day when he joined the Avalanche rebels, the day when he witnessed the deaths of his comrades, the day when he slew Sephiroth with the help of his friends, the day when he rescued the world from the invasion of JENOVA's "children"…all the flashbacks of his life were replayed through his mind, but there was one flashback that was missing from his memory. He thought about it for a while, but he couldn't remember it. "…Maybe my mind is telling me not to remember this." Cloud thought, and drove off with Fenrir.

Cloud passed through the familiar buildings of Midgar. As he drove pass the remains of the reactors, he realized that this world looks more miserable than it was before they had decided to destroy the reactors. Cloud's actions also made the citizen's lives more miserable. However, it was for the benefit of the planet: The reactors convert Lifestream energy into usable energy, damaging the planet's lifespan. Cloud drove by a group of children playing in an abandoned alley; He pitied them because of their losses of their parents and families. Without another look at the city, he drove out of Midgar.


	2. Encounter

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7 Advent Children, Kingdom Hearts 2, or any of their characters…SquareEnix does.

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As he drove along the road, one thing crossed his mind: What was that flashback that he had forgotten? Cloud closed his eyes for a few seconds, trying to remember who was in that flashback. As he closed his eyes, several images flashed through his mind: A girl with a flower basket, her generous smile, and the only quote he remembered that she said: "You're okay now, right?" Cloud gazed into the distant mountains. "…Who is that girl?" Cloud questioned himself again. Suddenly, the sun disappeared behind thick clusters of clouds. Heavy and rapid raindrops fell restlessly from the sky. Despite the bad weather, Cloud drove on. 

"…Where am I?" Cloud thought out loud while guiding Fenrir along a dark, muddy road. It was pouring even harder now, and the mud prevented Cloud from advancing along the road. Suddenly, Cloud spotted an impenetrable fog ahead of him. Being the valor warrior he always was, he guided Fenrir cautiously into the mysterious haze. Cloud could see no more than twenty feet ahead of him, and he began to worry. All of a sudden, a sword slashed through the air toward him. Cloud jumped off his motorcycle and parried the deadly blow with his First Tsurugi. The swordsman who ambushed Cloud jumped a few paces backwards and prepared for another strike at Cloud. The mist began to clear. Cloud separated his First Tsurugi into two duel-wielding swords and charged at the mysterious swordsman. To his surprise, as the fog vanished, he instantly realized who the swordsman was by his clothing.

The swordsman wore a black outfit. On his shoulders were two silver shoulder armors. He was a tall figure, a bit taller than Cloud who was 5' 7" tall. He wore black leather gloves, silver wrist guards and black leather boots. The swordsman also had long, silver hair. His sword was longer, thinner and sharper than Cloud's First Tsurugi. The swordsman's most remarkable appearance was his one-sided wing that was attached to the back of his body.

It was Sephiroth.


	3. The Eternal Rivals

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7 Advent Children, Kingdom Hearts 2, or any of their characters…SquareEnix does.

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Cloud was not prepared for this foe that he had been fighting for most of his lifetime. He was surprised to see Sephiroth standing in front of him, smiling and ready for another fight.

"…This is impossible!" Cloud thought. "He can't be back!"

Fear overflowed Cloud and he stopped dead in his track, vulnerable to Sephiroth's attack. Without a warning, a flash of pain had hit Cloud in the shoulder. The pain drew Cloud back into reality and he retreated a few paces back.

"What's wrong, Cloud?" Sephiroth said coolly. "Didn't I tell you already? Even if you're able to defeat me, your DARKNESS keeps calling me back!"

Sephiroth charged at Cloud once again, this time with more aggression and power. Cloud, whose mind was elsewhere, was not ready for this attack. He parried Sephiroth's attack, but Sephiroth's sword was able to cut a few wounds on Cloud's arms. Sephiroth retreated once again.

"You'll never let go of your past, Cloud…" Sephiroth invoked Cloud. "No matter how you change, your past will always come back and haunt you!"

Cloud was enraged and he charged at Sephiroth. He combined the two separated swords into the First Tsurugi again. Cloud swung his First Tsurugi wildly at Sephiroth, determined to shred him into thousands of pieces. Although Cloud was driven by his hatred, Sephiroth dodged Cloud's attack swiftly and dealt another blow at Cloud's shoulder. Cloud yelped out in pain and fell to the ground.

"Don't you understand, Cloud? Even if you're able to kill me, your darkness keeps calling me back…" Sephiroth said calmly. Cloud stood up, planted his First Tsurugi into the muddy ground, and glared at Sephiroth viciously.

"Shut up!" Cloud bellowed. "You've been haunting me for eternity…and now it's time to put an end to this!"

Cloud charged at Sephiroth once again. Cloud performed an upper thrust which sent Sephiroth into the air. Sephiroth prepared to retaliate against Cloud's attack when Cloud's First Tsurugi separated into six swords. The five swords surrounded Sephiroth and Cloud held the main blade in his right hand.

Sephiroth was surprised, but he was ready. Cloud gained speed and charged at Sephiroth. Cloud picked up a sword that surrounded Sephiroth and was ready to perform the technique when something happened that knocked Cloud out of his technique sequence.

A faint light surrounded Sephiroth. Cloud didn't see it at first, but when he saw it, it was too late. When Cloud's blade touched Sephiroth's body, Cloud was knocked backwards by his blade's vibration. Sephiroth had counter-attacked Cloud's attack, and Cloud was now flowing defenselessly in the air. Sephiroth flew at Cloud and performed his most devastating move.

"Sin Harvest." Sephiroth whispered.

An angelic ring appeared on top of Cloud's head. Cloud couldn't do anything to defend himself, so he just waited for the worst to hit him. He didn't have to wait very long. Almost instantly, a dark demonic sphere engulfed his body. Cloud felt like a beast was ripping him apart from the inside. Cloud screamed and fell to the ground. Sephiroth landed smoothly and walked toward Cloud.

"I wonder…" Sephiroth said quietly. "If I kill you, will MY darkness call you back?" He raised his sword and prepared to deal a final blow to Cloud.

Cloud, too weak to react, closed his eyes.


	4. All's End

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7 Advent Children, Kingdom Hearts 2, or any of their characters…SquareEnix does.

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…

……

………

"Hey, are you giving up already?"

Cloud opened his eyes.

He was in the middle of a flower field and millions of daisies. He looked up at the sky: It was sunny. No rain, no mud, and no Sephiroth. Although the battlefield was gone, he could feel the pain erupting everywhere in his body. Relieved for the sudden break from the battle, Cloud collapsed. Slowly, he looked up and saw a beautiful figure that he had long waited for.

It was a girl. She had long, brown hair with a pink ribbon. She wore a brown leather vest with a pink overall dress. She wore a pair of leather boots and she held a flower basket in her right hand. She was smiling at Cloud. Her emerald eyes filled with delight and she held her empty hand out toward Cloud.

Slowly, Cloud crawled toward the flower girl as if he had never met her in his entire life. His body screamed with fatigue, and the pain prevented him from crawling, but he kept advancing. He was getting closer and closer to the flower girl. Cloud then remembered something. It was her name.

"…Aeris…?" Cloud said doubtfully. The flower girl nodded and walked toward Cloud slowly. She kneeled next to Cloud and held out her hand, encouraging Cloud to reach it. Before his hand had touched hers, he said three words that he had always wanted to tell her.

"I love you." Cloud reached out and touched Aeris's hand.

It happened almost instantly. The flower field disappeared, and a mud field took over. The daisies turned into dusts, drifted away by a violent wind. The warm sun was gone, and the cold rain resumed. But the happiness within Cloud had not disappeared. Before he knew it, he was lying on the floor in front of his nightmare. Sephiroth raised his sword and swung it down.

Cloud raised his First Tsurugi and parried Sephiroth's deadly blow. "What?" Sephiroth gasped in surprise. A mysterious light was emitting from Cloud's body. Sephiroth drew back and watched in wonder.

Cloud's wounds were healing under this mysterious light. Cloud also gained an angelic wing on his back. He stood up and stared at Sephiroth with his white pupils. Cloud raised his sword in a heroic stance that gave him new strength. Sephiroth, for once, was surprised.

"I can finally let go of my past…" Cloud said. "And now…it's time to end my eternal suffering!" He flapped his angelic wings and glided rapidly at Sephiroth. Sephiroth was not ready for Cloud's sudden increase in strength. Cloud raised his First Tsurugi and slashed at Sephiroth.

"This…is for my avalanche comrades!" Cloud yelled and minced through Sephiroth's body.

"This…is for the people that you've murdered!" More blows sliced through Sephiroth.

"This…is for the sufferings that you had put me into!" Cloud was now slicing harder than ever.

"And this…" Cloud swung his First Tsurugi rapidly. "Is for HER!" Cloud dealt the final blow of his Omnislash technique.

"No…" Sephiroth yelled. "This isn't over…" As Sephiroth announced his final statement, his body turned into thousands of black feathers and the violent wind carried them away. The rain stopped. Cloud planted his First Tsurugi into the muddy ground, where Aeris had been moments ago. As the clouds cleared up in the sky, a warm, bright sun came out. Cloud gazed into the distance.

"You're wrong," Cloud said. He walked away from the First Tsurugi and smiled.

"It's over."

The End


End file.
